Apple and Adobe have been at loggerheads for quite some time over the non-availability of Flash on the iPhone OS platform. While Apple has argued that a resource hogging software like Flash could drain the iPhone's battery and hence may not run on the device, Adobe has insisted that the unavailability of an ubiquitous multimedia platform like Flash could deprive iPhone users of their experience.
In a bid to make the popular multimedia platform available on the iPhone, Adobe announced their development of Flash Professional CS5 that will enable app developers to port their Flash applications to the iPhone OS with the help of ActionScript 3. The new Flash platform is expected to launch on April 12th.
However, in what may come as a huge blow to Adobe's ambitions to reach the iPhone users, Apple has modified their app developer license agreement, which prohibits the use of cross-compiler software to create iPhone apps. The new iPhone Developer Program License Agreement for iPhone OS 4 SDK notes:
"Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited)."
While the updated agreement may appear to target Adobe, John Gruber from Daring Fireball argues that this is merely in an attempt to prevent a hijack of the iPhone's native framework by independent third party developers. Gruber writes:
"What Apple doesn’t want — and as we see now, is not going to allow — is for anyone other than Apple to define the framework for native iPhone apps. What Apple is saying here is, if you’re going to write a native iPhone app, then you need to target our platform; if you want to do something else, then target the iPhone with an optimized web app."
While it is not clear if the changes shall also affect other third party tools like Titanium and PhoneGap, there is no doubt that applications created using the Flash-to-iPhone compiler on CS5 shall not be approved. It will however be interesting to see how Adobe responds to these developments. In a recently posted tweet, the company noted that they are still studying the changes. Adobe wrote:
"We are looking into the new SDK language. We continue to develop Packager for iPhone OS which will debut in Flash"
What is your take on this? Do you see Apple's policies targeted at Adobe or do you think Cupertino is merely trying to retain control over the iPhone framework? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
[via Daring Fireball,@Adobe]
why doesn't adobe just go to jail broke iphone that way people would be able to use flash finally apple is never going to let them onto the iphone platform it seems they really dont like adobe for some reason
They dont like for 2 reasons, battery drain and the huge amount of resources flash need to run, not to mention the heat issue.
Hey yeah I am back, I rremember that after six months of the first jailbroken iPhone I noticed that I was able to use flash player in most of the websites in despite of flaking imagine after heating up the processor. This feature is no longer available for unknown reasons
but there was an issue while playing QuickTime formats.
New flash player platform must run smoothly while you run multi apps featuring in the background itself.
Good luck developers!
8-|
we should fill up a petition online and send it to adobe, asking them to release flash via cydia, who's with me
i love how these guys piss on each other and it all lands on us, the user.
Yo, I agree with you 100%!!! There is a stupid beef going on with Apple and Adobe and the only people being affected by it are the iPhone owners!!! Since apple doesn't want 2 support flash from adobe, then make it available 4 jailbroken iPhones!!! We don't care about apples rules anyway…
This has been going on 4 to long… All apple is doing is giving us all a bunch of lies as 2 y they won't bring flash 2 the iPhone… I'd personally rather they say that they don't like adobe than 2 make excusess!!! Here is a hint to adobe on a real good way 2 piss the apple coorporation off… Jus make the flash app available 4 jailbroken devices via cydia, rock, or hackulous… I've supported apple from the 1st to the 3gs and I promise that if the next iPhone doesn't have flash and a light 4 the camera, I won't buy nair nother iPhone…
Sadly, I think that a company as big as Adobe endorsing something which is illegal simply to get at Apple, would probably get noticed, and then Apple would have some legal backing for some lawsuit or another, which probably wouldn't end well for anybody.
Commerce, Commerce, all is on $$$$$$.
Not true at all, dipshit. Those are just awful excuses thrown out by apple.
it's all about Money, Apple does not want flash because it would allow the use of all of the FREE flash software out there Mainly Games, that will directly compete with the apple store's game's that apple charges for. If you are familiar with some of the games in the Apple Store you can see quite a few that were recreated Free Flash games that you have to pay Apple for. and it would not stop there, as once it became possible to run Flash on the Iphone/Ipad people can create all sorts of interactive apps that again will compete with the Apple store whether or not they offer those apps for free or simply undercut apples prices, It's called competition, and history has shown that for the most part it's a good thing, especially for the consumer.